The Minister of Defense Minister attended the South-Eastern Europe Defense Ministerial (SEDM) which brought together 16 NATO Allies and Partners in Ankara, Turkey.

Participants at the event discussed regional security issues and prospects for mutual cooperation, after which a joint statement is to be signed.

During the working session Juansher Burchuladze spoke about the importance of international cooperation in ensuring peace, stability and security in the region.

He drew attention to Georgia’s participation in the ongoing projects within the SEDM, the importance of Georgia’s EU candidate status, Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations and the defense modernization process implemented towards this objective.

Georgia joined the SEDM in 2015. The initiative aims to enhance collaboration among regional countries, foster security and peace, and integrate the region into Euro-Atlantic structures.